The use of wireless communication devices and wireless networks has become increasingly widespread. As the use of wireless communication devices increases, products are being developed with complex network interfaces that require extensive testing to ensure acceptable performance in the network.
In order to thoroughly test a new interface, all data combinations should be tested to verify that the new design is robust and free of faults. Accomplishing this type of testing, however, requires complex data patterns that are unique to the new interface being tested, including data patterns that simulate interface impairment.
Conventional devices used for testing new interfaces only provide for limited impairment testing. Thus, these testing devices fail to provide complete coverage of all network conditions. For example, in a standard testing device for testing a high-level data link control (HDLC) interface, testing impairment of the interface is limited to the insertion of frame check sequence errors. Conventional test equipment systems do not provide an operator with a flexible method of applying customizes patterns of stimuli to a unit-under-test (UUT), such as an HDLC interface.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved system for testing network interfaces. In particular, there is a need for a thorough test that incorporates essentially all valid data patterns that may be applied to a network interface without limiting impairment options and without requiring a designer to design every possible data pattern.